The competition has been eating Burger King's lunch for awhile, but its recent changes gave it a boost. Now, its new status as a public company could light a fire under the No. 3 burger chain, says analyst Steven West. Here's his recipe for Burger King's post-IPO success.

Burger King is returning to the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday. The world's No. 2 hamburger chain last traded in 2010, when it was purchased and taken private by investment firm 3G Capital, which has been overhauling its operations.

The most popular Western-style, fast-food company in China right now is Yum! Brands, which operates Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC. In fact, Yum!'s operations in China dwarf McDonald's -- and looks like it'll repeat the feat in India too.

Taco Bell's Doritos Locos Taco is an important part of Yum! Brands' strategy to turn the chain's fortunes around in the U.S. It's also a crazy idea, and one of the strangest menu items you can find at America's fast food chains.

Burger King is dusting off its crown and going public again. The world's No. 2 hamburger chain, which is in the midst of overhauling its menu and stores, says it expects to relist its shares on the New York Stock Exchange within the next three months.

Taco Bell's new Doritos Locos Taco hit restaurants last week, and it's already getting plenty of publicity -- and mockery. But whether it's a hit or a flop, expect more fast food mash-ups and bold blunders from the big chains.

These should be exciting times for Wendy's: It has revamped its burgers, spun off Arby's, expanded back into Japan, and is going to take another crack at the breakfast game. But despite all that, its share price is around the cost of its value meals, and that's unlikely to change.

McDonald's and other fast-food establishments recently garnered praise from First Lady Michelle Obama for making great strides toward "making America healthier." But how admirable have their efforts really been? Here's a closer look at the likely effects of changes to the happy meal -- and a different business's better efforts.

You'd think that fast-food restaurants -- with their emphasis on value -- would appeal primarily to those at the lower end of the income scale. But according to a new national study, dining at McDonald's and its quick-serving competitors becomes more common as people make more money.

While many fast-food restaurants have added healthier options, most still focus on cheap, high-calorie, high-fat fare. But who provides the most calories per dollar? To find out where you can get the biggest bulge for your buck, we compared McDonald's, KFC and Taco Bell.

This is a big week for Wendy's. For the first time in its 42-year history, the burger chain is remaking its signature sandwich. It's a bid to compete with "gourmet" burger shops that are growing in popularity. Still, it's going to take more than menu tweaks for Wendy's to turn things around.

Kentucky Fried Chicken says it is shutting down its fryers for good in Fiji, saying the government compromised its so-called famous blend of 11 herbs and spices by stopping KFC from importing key ingredients. Fiji says that's just an excuse.

With both obesity and fiscal austerity on the rise, makers of unhealthy foods are a tempting target for taxation. While companies like Coca-Cola and McDonald's are most obviously in the sights of the food police, the rest of the food industry may be vulnerable as well.

For more than 30 years, the standard McDonald's Happy Meals have been exactly the same -- a burger or chicken nuggets, fries and a soda. But no more. In an attempt to help youngsters make healthier food choices, the fast food chain is making big changes to its kid's-meal-in-a-box.

For its Cow Appreciation Day Friday, Chick-fil-A gave away free sandwiches to customers who come in wearing cow costumes. We talked with CEO Dan Cathy about a herd of other issues including rising food costs, industry trends, the economy and how his values affect the company's bottom line.

In New Zealand, McDonald's and Weight Watchers have teamed up to sell three co-branded meals. That's not as strange as it sounds -- Weight Watchers dieters measure food intake on a point scale. What's strange is how the numbers may or may not have been calculated.